Experience Turkish Cuisine at its finest in Gunaydin
Turkish cuisine has always been very close to my heart. One, because the first ever menu tasting I attended was for a restaurant serving Turkish food, second, because it brings back wonderful memories of my Istanbul holiday, and third, because the Turkish chefs capture the beauty of food in such an artistic way – its as though the very beauty of Turkey is reflected in every plate. Boasting wonderful views of the Dubai fountains, Gunaydin serves premium Anatolian Turkish cuisine in a fine dine setting.
One of the very well-known steakhouses in Turkey, Gunaydin is owned and run by Chef Cuneyt Asan who has been in this business since the age of 10. Read on to learn more about the concept behind the restaurant and what fuels Chef Cuneyt Asan’s energy that adds so much life and positive vibes at Gunaydin.
The Concept
Cuneyt Asan knows that he is born for this business and does everything that he does with utmost love. This love, he believes, is the driving force behind his success. He has been raising chefs for as long as he remembers and feels honored to be a part of this very culture. His network spreads across 43 restaurants all over the globe with 2500 workers and 15000 livestock numbers in their farms.
Gunaydin hires only the best chefs from Turkey. Their authenticity is visible in their meat cutting techniques and their ingredients. Which brings me to another very important fact about this restaurant – all their meats, every single one of them, comes straight from Turkey. The reason being, Turkish meats are of the finest quality you would ever come across. And I couldn’t agree more. The succulent taste comes across in every bite.
With sophisticated indoor and outdoor seating to impress, and a touch of Turkish heritage in every nook and corner, Gunaydin spoils you for choice even before you can take a look at extensive menu. Being there on a chilly February evening by the Burj lake came quite to dining by the Bosphorus river.
Being invited to Gunaydin in Souk Al Bahar was not only an honor, but left me with a wonderful surprise. We’ll talk about the surprise later, but let’s look at their wonderful variety first.
Appetizers
We started off with the Tulum Peynirli Salata – one of their best selling salads, that brought together mixed greens with walnuts, cherry tomatoes and tulum cheese. Look at all those colors on that plate!
Next we were treated to a selection of cold mezzeh – each having its own unique flavor and personality.
Goat’s cheese with butter and walnuts – the Turkish version of cheese and nuts.
The classic Humus – with a touch of Anatolia.
Yogurtlu – a traditionally prepared yogurt dish with some pepper dressing on top
Muhammara – spicy tomato paste mixed with bread crumbs, walnut and garlic
‘
Patlican Salatasi – Antep styled barbecued eggplants in a salad.
Gavurdagi Salatasi – Diced tomatoes and finely chopped onions, mixed with aromatic Turkish herbs and topped with fragrant mint leaves.
We were also served with a freshly baked bread basket to soak in all those creamy dips and salads.
Chopping the Meats
We already know that every single meat in Gunaydin comes from Turkey, and it was time to try out some of this deliciousness, but before we moved on to devour these meats, Chef Cuneyt Asan wowed us with his skillful meat cutting techniques. Watch this video to see how he chops the first block of meat into different pieces, his actions resembling brush strokes on a canvas. The second block of meat is cut in a manner which almost magically removes the bone from within, without losing the meaty part. The assistant chef then uses a large, and apparently very sharp knife to finely mince the meat.
At Gunaydin, every meat processing is done by hand – which means they don’t use a machine to grind the meat into mince, but it is in fact done manually. The style in which the meat is ground is almost like clockwork, and it is done with so much ease, it’s almost as if the chefs are born into the profession.
Meaty Mains
The meat variety we sampled included everything from raw beef to kebabs and wraps. It was a delectable journey across the meaty lands of Turkish cuisine. Read on to look at what meats we ate.
Cig Kofte – raw chopped beef which is mixed with spices, green onions, mint and parsley and pound together until it forms a paste like texture. You might be a little concerned about eating the meat raw, but honestly, the spices play a very important role in tenderizing the meat, such that you wouldn’t even know it’s raw.
Icli Kofte – the Antep version of kibbeh, these were so juicy, so crisp from outside and so tender within. I wouldn’t be lying if I said these were the best kibbeh I’ve had in a very long time.
Lahmacun – this Turkish styled pizza topped with ground lamb seasoned with spices was another one of my favorites. Served hot and fresh, you wouldn’t really remember how many you’ve had until the board was empty.
Pide – another one of those dishes, which you would keep on eating, just because it is so delicious and served hot on your plate.
Sebzeli Kebap – this one was quite a delicacy. Our server put on a show while serving these, wrapping a little piece of minced lamb kebab with chopped tomatoes, onions and chili, neatly into a tortilla. The most fascinating part of this presentation was the use of a fork and a knife to create the wrap. I would’ve personally wrapped up a sandwich with my hands, but the training the staff receive at Gunaydin is so perfect, it’s not your regular serving style, it’s an art.
Desserts
Finally it was time for some desserts. And the Turks know their desserts really well. We started with the classic Kunefe which was heated on the table and drizzled with lots of sugary syrup. You could see all that sweetness oozing out with every piece plated. To give it that authentic finish, each slice was topped with crumbled pistachio.
Its wise to note that just like eggplants and meat, pistachio too is elemental in Turkish cuisine. Our second (and final) dessert was the Antep styled crispy Katmer pastry stuffed with crumbly pistachio and vanilla ice cream. I really liked how the nutty texture combined with the creaminess of the ice cream. Needless to say, I preferred the Katmer over the Kunefe.
The Surprise
I promised I would let you in on a surprise, so here’s what it is. Before we began our meal, we were presented with pretty Turkish keychains. Each of these had a QR code at the back.
When asked to, we scanned the code and landed on their Instagram page @gunaydindubai. This led us to winning the wonderful Turkish coffee and chocolate hamper!
The chocolates – like little dragon eggs had a slightly nutty texture. And the coffee, well, that’s being saved for a special occasion.
Gunaydin
Location: Ground Floor, Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai, Dubai
Contact: 04 5540700
